<div style="width: 315px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="/files/2010/05/bvp.jpg" alt="" width="305" height="225"></figure></div>Greek and Portuguese Champions Clash at BMO Field</div>
A few weeks prior, I attended a press conference about this very match where ex-Panathinaikos player Ioannis Samaras and the Consulate General of Greece both spoke about hosting an event where the spectacle and quality of the teams on display would be appreciated by both sets of fans with a high degree of respect and sportsmanship.
And then, the game. Both sides fielded strong lineups, and I will outline them here. Panathinaikos were without star players Kostas Katsouranis, Giorgos Karagounis, Djibril Cisse, and Giourkas Seitaridis amongst others. Panathinaikos’ XI is as follows: GK: Karnezis DEF: Kante, Sarriegi, Melissis, Bjarsmyr MID: Dimoutsos, Marinos, Simao FWD: Leto, Rukavina, Cleyton
Panathinaikos’ Sebastian Leto absolutely ran the show for his side today, with any and every chance Panathinaikos had coming through his ability to run at the Benfica and play passes behind the defense to his teammates.
Benfica’s XI is without Angel Di Maria, Oscar Cardozo, Pablo Aimar and Fabio Coentrao. Despite this, they fielded a lineup of: GK: Moreira DEF: Peixoto, Luis Filipe, David Luiz, Sidnei, Faria MID: Airton, Amorim, Menezes FWD: Kardec, Oliveira
Benfica’s bench was quite impressive, with players like Javier Saviola, Javi Garcia, Nuno Gomes and Weldon, who were all introduced as the game progressed.
The stadium itself filled quickly with fans, almost all of whom were Benfica supporters. They came in droves, filling BMO Field almost by themselves, and made their team feel absolutely at home early on. Before kickoff, both teams paraded their League Championship trophy around the ground. Panathinaikos were jeered and booed by the overwhelming Benfica support, but when Nuno Gomes hoisted Benfica’s trophy high, it was met by Mexican waves and chants all around.
And then the game began. Benfica kept the play in Panathinaikos’ half of the pitch, and drove forward time and again but lacked the punch to break through the Greek backline. Fifteen minutes in, Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus made his first change. It was Javier Saviola for defender Luis Filipe, a bold move in hindsight. Sebastian Leto, who was much more free to roam now that Benfica had reduced their defensive numbers, time and again found himself behind enemy lines cutting the ball back for any Greek to prod past Benfica goalkeeper Moreira, but none were so lucky.
Leto’s rapier-like runs were beginning to cause panic in the Portuguese ranks, and the crowd was beginning to notice it as well. Benfica responded very harshly, getting very physical with Leto and Dimoutsos, who were time and again carving through the Benfica defense. David Luiz, who seemed an absolute fan favourite by the amount of cheers he received each and every time he found himself on the ball, was first to be booked. A few strong challenges on Leto saw the Brazilian center-half cautioned just 28 minutes into the match. This was not received well by the Benfica supporters, who constantly booed the referees from then on. Things heated up on the field as well, with Leto again causing panic in Benfica’s ranks, and this time Airton received a caution. Leto and Dimoutsos were constantly squaring up to the Benfica defenders, who were playing very aggressively despite the match being billed as a friendly.
Just before halftime, David Luiz stamped on Dimoutsos after the Greek won the ball with a slide-tackle on the Brazilian,&nbsp; and received his second yellow card and a sending off. The Benfica faithful were going ballistic; they shook the stadium with anger and booed as their team were completely losing their heads in an exhibition match. Minutes later, Dimoutsos was hacked down by Amorim just as the halftime whistle was blown, and a brawl like I’ve never seen at a football match before broke out on the field. Airton and Leto went head-to-head and actually threw punches; Menezes and Simao were involved in a pushing match; Rui Costa, who is part of the coaching staff of Benfica, actually came off the bench and onto the field and got right into it with Kante; all hell had absolutely broken loose. Finally, police entered the field of play and calmed down what was now a mob instead of two teams, and everyone went back to their dressing rooms for halftime.
The second half was much less eventful and much more calm. Nuno Gomes, Javi Garcia, and Weldon were all introduced for Benfica, which pleased the crowd and calmed the game down. The exhibition that the Consulate General of Greece spoke of having finally took place, which saw Dimoutsos rattle the crossbar from a Sebastian Leto setpiece, and a Dimoutsos goal disallowed for offside after a wicked through-pass from Sebastian Leto.
Ten-man Benfica held Panathinaikos to a nil-nil draw, which was still as exciting an exhibition as you’ll ever see. Next season’s Champions League could see the two playing eachother, so let’s hope we see a game as enthralling and dramatic as this one was in Europe’s premier competition next season.

Nothing Friendly About It &#8211; Panathinaikos v Benfica at BMO Field

Nothing Friendly About It - Panathinaikos v Benfica at BMO Field - World Soccer Talk

Nothing Friendly About It – Panathinaikos v Benfica at BMO Field

<div id="attachment_16407" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/avram-grant.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16407" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-16407" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/avram-grant-300x216.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="216"></figure></div></a>Avram, You&apos;re The Man.</div>
Today’s FA Cup Final came to an end, with this year’s league champions Chelsea edging recently relegated Portsmouth FC by a Didier Drogba goal to nil.
While the game was dominated by Chelsea, Pompey did their best to frustrate the champions, and David James had an absolute blinder, which will serve him well with the World Cup just weeks away. Pompey had the chance to go one-nil up from the penalty spot, but Kevin Prince Boateng crumpled under the pressure of the Cup Final and Petr Cech made the save. Chelsea went on to hit the woodwork on five different occasions, and even had the chance to score from the penalty spot themselves, but Frank Lampard dragged his wide. The break for Chelsea came through this year’s Premier League Golden Boot winner, Didier Drogba, with a fantastic freekick that smashed the bar before finding the back of the net.
The real story is the legacy of Avram Grant and his time in England, and how well he has done in such a short time at both Chelsea and now Portsmouth.
Avram Grant led Chelsea in 2008 to the final of the Carling Cup, a title race with Manchester United that went down to the last day, and the Champions League final, which Chelsea were set win, if not for a John Terry penalty miss. For all of his efforts, he was sacked by Roman Abramovich, a reported close friend of his.
After this disappointment, Avram Grant was offered the position of Director of Football at Portsmouth, potentially to line him up for the managerial position should Paul Hart fail to steer Portsmouth clear of the relegation zone. Paul Hart did fail, although to be fair to Paul Hart the failure of the team to deliver any kind of promising results was probably not down to him. He was sacked, though, and Avram Grant took over as manager in November of 2009. During his tenure as manager, Portsmouth have suffered a point deduction in the league because of their financial meltdown, and have looked relegated since October, but Avram Grant has seen them battle so well in every game they’ve played, which has brought results most obviously in the FA cup. Avram Grant took the Premier League’s most obvious relegation candidates to England’s most coveted Cup Final, and was able to motivate his players to do so well despite those players not even receiving their pay on numerous occasions this season.
Avram Grant should be congratulated for the way he has motivated Portsmouth’s players to fight and play out of their skins for the club, despite their perilous and quite disastrous position. Week in, week out, whether it be a heavy loss or an unpaid wage, Portsmouth played as if they were headed to Wembley all along.
Avram’s failure to win the FA cup will come as no surprise, as Chelsea were obvious favourites to win the tie. Avram’s side kept it respectable, despite Chelsea’s dominance, and Portsmouth fans sang on past the final whistle.
A man whose demeanor rarely changes, whether his team are high-flying or down in the dumps, and who has been labelled, ‘the grim reaper’ for his quite haunting and almost static facial expression, does certainly have the ability to instill passion into a club no matter the circumstance. Avram will most likely leave Pompey this summer, and we wish him the best of luck, wherever he ends up.
Portsmouth, on the other hand, will be saying farewell not just to their manager, but to probably their entire starting eleven come next season. Because of their dire financial situation, an overhaul of playing staff will be necessary. Portsmouth will most likely also face another heavy point deduction at the start of next season, which will most likely see them freefall out of the Championship, should this financial situation continue. Furthermore, the club could even cease to exist should an owner not step up and inject much needed capital into the club.
While the FA cup was a last chance at glory for Portsmouth, a last hurrah before the facing possible extinction, for Avram Grant is was a way to show England and the rest of Europe that he is a top manager, and that he should be given a chance at a club for more than 8 months at a time. Avram Grant, for me certainly, has proved himself as a manager who can really put his fingerprints on a club and have great success, should he be given the chance.
Congratulations to Chelsea on their historic League and Cup double, congratulations to Avram Grant for the way he impressed at Portsmouth, and good luck to Portsmouth as they literally jump out of the frying pan, and into the fire.

Honor In Defeat &#8211; Avram Grant and Portsmouth FC

Honor In Defeat - Avram Grant and Portsmouth FC - World Soccer Talk

Honor In Defeat – Avram Grant and Portsmouth FC

<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bmo-field.jpg"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/2014/08/bmo-field-600x400-600x400.webp" alt="bmo-field" width="600" height="400" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-113627" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></figure></div></a>
The Greek Superleague finished with Panathinaikos running out winners with a six point lead above defending champions Olympiakos, and Benfica won the Portuguesa Liga with a five-point lead above second placed Braga. Now, these two respective champions will strut their stuff in Toronto FC’s BMO Field on May 23.
Just today, I attended the press conference for the upcoming event, where quite a few familiar faces were present. Most notably, Ioannis Samaras, ex-Panathinaikos star and father of Celtic striker Giorgos Samaras. Also, the Consul General of Greece in Toronto was present as an ambassador of the Greek community in Toronto.
Both parties are hoping for a competitive match, and stressed the importance of an atmosphere that would be both energetic and full of passion and national pride, but devoid of any trouble or bad intentions.
While much of the information discussed at the conference was about raising awareness in each respective cultural community about soccer, the fastest growing sport in Canada, there was also talk of how much the game itself would be worth to each club – a figure coming close to around $1 million.
Although some of the bigger names on each roster will not be present due to international duties at this year’s World Cup in South Africa, the players present at the event will provide more than enough class to take the game to a professional and competitive level. For Benfica, the likes of Javier Saviola and Javi Garcia, as well as David Luiz and Pablo Aimar are all expected to play. Panathinaikos on the other hand will be missing quite a few first-team players, but will still field the likes of Sebastian Leto and Simao Mate Junior.
All 22,000 tickets are likely to be sold out, so get yours now at www.ticketmaster.ca for an event that promises to be both culturally and competitively riveting!

Toronto Set to Host Panathinaikos v SL Benfica

Toronto Set to Host Panathinaikos v SL Benfica - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_14815" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/liverpool-fan-crying.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14815" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-14815" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/liverpool-fan-crying-300x269.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="269"></figure></div></a>Liverpool&apos;s Season Crashes and Burns.</div>
With the 09/10 season coming to a close, there have been great cinderella stories, in the form of Birmingham FC and their very efficient promotion season in the Premier League, to Fulham reaching the Europa League final, to England’s ‘Big Four’ finally being broken.
Many, before the season had begun, predicted that this would be the year that the so-called ‘Big Four’ would come unstuck. Most suspected Arsenal, who field so many young and inexperienced players compared to the rest of the ‘Big Four’ to be the ones to fall out of it at the hands of one of Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester City, or Everton.
Many pundits and journalists at the start of the season predicted a finish for Liverpool that would have been quite similar to their title-challenging run last season. That, however, was certainly not the case in the end. Liverpool’s rather shocking and unlikely season has them sitting in 7th place in the league, eight points away from their much sought after 4th place, which Rafa Benitez promised they would finish in.
Problems at Liverpool don’t stop there, though. In the boardroom, American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are under constant scrutiny for the way they have run the club. The fans have urged them to sell up, and find an owner who will be able to inject some much-needed capital into the club for spending on squad additions and a new stadium. Hicks and Gillett, though, have priced the club at around 500 million pounds. A club that will not qualify for the Champions League, has a growing debt situation, needs massive squad improvement and a new manager, and they think it’s worth 500 million pounds. If Hicks and Gillett cannot find an Abramovich-esque buyer for the club, they will probably have to look at selling a few of their prized assets, most notably Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, and Javier Mascherano. With the loss of even two of those three key players, Liverpool may be looking at a situation where the Champions League becomes a lot farther away than just 8 points.
Rafa Benitez, Liverpool’s oft-criticized manager, must surely be looking for the way out now. He is responsible for bringing the club players like Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso, but is also responsible for big-money busts, like Robbie Keane, Craig Bellamy, Jermaine Pennant, Albert Riera and Andrea Dossena. Should Rafa Benitez leave Liverpool FC this summer, many players who followed him to the club, or players that would otherwise be seeking Champions League football, would probably move on as well. Many of Liverpool’s squad have been at the club quite a short time, and could fit into many other Champions League teams in Europe, so seeing them move on would not be surprising. For Liverpool, though, it’s all bad news. Having to rebuild a squad that is expected to challenge for a top four spot, with a new manager and a limited budget, and without the income from the Champions League, could be a catastrophic task. Prices in the transfer market will be increasingly high after the World Cup, and trying to replace key players will certainly not be easy.
Now that we have touched on Liverpool’s key problem areas, it’s quite simple to see that their inability to qualify for the Champions League for next year puts them in a very bad place. Even worse, though, if you take a look at all the good happening at the teams surrounding Liverpool.
Tottenham have finished fourth. Redknapp has guided his squad to a Champions League qualification spot for next season, and the club, which has a solid youth system and a good core squad, will be favourites to retain the fourth spot come next season. Although they do not have the spending power of a team like Manchester City, they have adequate enough resources, plus the new income from the Champions League, to fund any transfer activity that may be necessary to add to an already strong core group of players. There isn’t too many reasons for Redknapp to have to chop and change much of his squad; a simple couple of additions in a few weaker areas in the team, or talented youth players to bring through the ranks, and Tottenham will be set to push for Champions League qualification again next year.
Manchester City, who made it an absolute priority to have Champions League status next season so that they could attract the biggest names in the game, have failed to make the mark. Because of their massive spending power, they will offer players they deem necessary massive salaries and pull them in anyway. While Manchester City and Liverpool are in the same boat in terms of not qualifying for the Champions League, one could make the point that Manchester City are on a positive curve. If they have a squad problem, they will throw some money at it. New stadium? Money. New manager? Money. A youth system that even Barcelona would be proud of? Money. The problem for Manchester City will be consistency and continuity, because constant chopping and changing will be detrimental to being able to maintain an identifiable and cohesive team unit. Other than that, they are in a much better place than Liverpool.
Because of Liverpool’s poor position and backroom troubles, and the strength of teams around Liverpool who will be constantly challenging for top four places, it could be a very long time before Liverpool FC reach that top four promised land again.

A Fall From Grace: Liverpool FC

A Fall From Grace: Liverpool FC - World Soccer Talk

The man. The Legend. The Special One. Jose Mourinho, for those who had not already clued in. Young, as far as managers go, and already rated as one of, if not the best manager in the world. Mourinho, currently at Inter, is en route to winning not just the Serie A title, but also the Coppa Italia and the Champions League. An historic treble for the club and certainly for him. But first, let’s take a look back on his illustrious and wildly successful career.
Jose started out as a translator for the late Sir Bobby Robson, first accompanying him at Sporting CP, then FC Porto, and then Barcelona. Robson’s influence on Jose’s career would have been very substantial. Robson took a young Jose under his wing, and exposed him to all of the daily tasks of a football manager. Jose learned the tactics of the English game, he learned training techniques, he learned player psychology, and he learned how to handle press conferences and the media. It wasn’t only Sir Bobby who would have an influence on Mourinho; Louis van Gaal, current Bayern Munchen manager, also had a hand in moulding what would become a phenomenon of football management. Jose Mourinho served as assistant manager while Louis van Gaal was head coach at Barcelona. Together, the two won back to back La Liga titles.
Jose moved on and had brief stints in Portugal with Benfica and then Uniao de Leiria. FC Porto snapped him up in 2002, just two years into his management career, and he began to work absolute wonders. He won back to back league titles in 02-03 and 03-04, a Portuguese Cup, a Portuguese Super Cup, the UEFA Cup (now known as the Europa League), and then, finally, the Champions League. In two years, Jose Mourinho managed to win six trophies, including two European titles. Jose knew as soon as he won that Champions League in 2004 that it was mission accomplished. He barely celebrated it. He handed the trophy to his captain Paolo Ferreira, and threw his medal into the crowd. Jose was going to be on to bigger things.
Roman Abramovich had recently purchased Chelsea Football Club. His billionaire status meant that Mourinho would be able to bring in just about any players he wanted. After speculation about Mourinho joining Liverpool, he opted for Chelsea, and Liverpool signed Rafa Benitez. In Mourinho’s time at Chelsea, he splashed the cash (around 70 million pounds) on many superstar signings who are still mainstays in the Chelsea side today. These include: Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Essien and so on. At Chelsea, Jose established himself as the most quotable, clever manager of this generation. His character was as much a talking point as his success. When he arrived at Chelsea as the current champion of Europe from his Porto time, he dubbed himself ‘The Special One.’ “Please don’t call me arrogant,” Jose explained, “But I’m European Champion and I think I am a Special One!” He exclaimed. And so he certainly went on to prove it during his time at Chelsea. He lifted two back to back league titles (making him immediately the most successful manager in Chelsea’s history), an FA cup, two League Cups, and a Community Shield. Although there was no European glory for Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, his impact at Chelsea has lasted until this day.
Jose left Chelsea after problems with the Chelsea hierarchy – a.k.a Roman Abramovich – and joined Italian champions Inter. In his first season, he won the league, which many expected him to do. Then, as soon as he had the chance, he began to fashion a side that would be capable of playing the game exactly as he would like, and most notably signed Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito, and Thiago Motta. Now, in his first season with his more personal Inter side, he is on the verge of history.
While many will be&nbsp; congratulating Roma for their stunning comeback after being 14 points behind Inter at one stage of the season, and then to be 1 point ahead of them, Jose’s Inter would always be favourites. After Pazzini’s brace blasted Roma effectively out of the title race, the Roma players knew what it would mean. Inter would walk away with the title after Roma had fought so hard all season. Jose loves that kind of thing, being the bad guy.&nbsp; The way to the league title is now clear and his for the taking.
For his second trophy of what will be a magical treble,&nbsp; he will be facing off against Claudio Ranieri’s Roma for the Coppa Italia, a game he will love to win, seeing as Ranieri was also once a Chelsea manager, and Mourinho would also be delighted to see his closest challengers this season be defeated by him twice.
Then, for his most prestigious third trophy of the treble, Jose goes into the Camp Nou in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona leading 3-1 on aggregate, after a stunning display at the San Siro against the reigning champions. Should Jose pull it off in Barcelona, he will most likely face Bayern Munchen and his old friend Louis van Gaal. It will be advantage Inter in the final; they will be favorites at the bookies and favorites on paper, but all is yet to be decided.
If Mourinho were to pull off this magical treble and win the Champions League for the second time in his career, would he hand the trophy off to Javier Zanetti, throw his medal into the stands, and take the next big job? Real Madrid, for one, would definitely be beckoning.
Here’s to one of the great characters of our beloved game sticking around for another 20 years and creating as much drama and controversy as he does success. Cheers Jose!

How Awesome Is Jose Mourinho?

How Awesome Is Jose Mourinho? - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_7158" style="width: 241px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/wenger.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7158" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-7158" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/wenger-231x300.jpg" alt="" width="231" height="300"></figure></div></a>Allez, Arsenal!</div>
For the last five years, Arsenal supporters have looked back on their season feeling bittersweet. While it is impressive that they have managed to consistently challenge for trophies, having both reached the Champions League final in 2006 and consistently mixing with the best in the Premier League each year, it is disappointing that no trophies have been won since 2005’s FA Cup triumph. With Wenger’s side failing to grab some silverware, and Arsenal’s season coming to an abrupt end after being knocked out of the Champions League by holders Barcelona, and effectively out of the title race by Wigan, let’s have a look ahead at what may happen next season.
Many fans dream of players like Daniele De Rossi to slot into midfield beside Fabregas; like Giorgio Chiellini to partner Vermaelen in defense; like David Villa to grab hat-tricks at all opportunities. Signings like these, however, remain highly unlikely. Arsene Wenger’s scouting network reaches all over the globe, and finds diamonds in the rough that Wenger can then shape into absolute gems. Alex Song, Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, and Robin van Persie are all examples of this. Being able to foresee who will catch Wenger’s eye this summer, should he decide to spend, is nearly impossible. But let’s try and see it through his eyes anyway.

First, I would like to go through the transfer activity Arsenal may see in the summer, and then propose a few different lineups that we may see come next season from Wenger’s side.
Marouane Chamakh’s free transfer from Bordeaux looks to be a done deal, and he has impressed quite a bit in Bordeaux’s Ligue 1 championship-winning season last year, as well as their run in the Champions League this year. He will give Arsenal another option in the box, someone with aerial ability and the intelligence and strength to hold up the ball and bring other players, like Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, into play.
William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre’s contracts are set to expire this summer, and as far as has been reported, no talks have been started to renew their contracts. Sol Campbell, on the other hand, looks set to be handed another year with Arsenal. While he may not play too many games next year, he will certainly be a presence in the dressing room, on the training field, and as backup in case of any untimely injury problems. Johan Djourou will return to full fitness over the summer, and he will most likely still figure in Wenger’s plans. Senderos, however, will most likely be on his way out after a fruitless loan spell at Everton. In the case this all goes as outlined above, Arsenal will be left with only three choices at center-half. Thomas Vermaelen, Johan Djourou, and Sol Campbell. Alex Song is also capable of playing in there, so we’ll count him in too. Arsene must buy at least one other player for this position. I will shortlist three realistic players who may be on Arsenal’s radar come transfer time:
1. Brede Hangeland – The dominating Fulham man has been linked with Arsenal in the past, and would provide experience, much-needed height, and composure to Arsenal’s sometimes rickety backline.
2. Mamadou Sakho – Although young, Sakho has captained his PSG side, is the captain of the France U-21 side, and looks to have a magnificent future ahead. He is very physically strong, and would certainly be able to deal with any aerially powerful teams in the Premier League – like Stoke.
3. Jerome Boateng – The Hamburg man has been linked with moves to Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and so on. He, like Sakho, has leadership qualities that Arsenal need in their back-line, and he is also strong aerially.
Arsenal’s goal-keeping situation has been nothing short of calamitous all season long. Almunia has proven to be very faulty, Fabianski even worse on occasions, and Mannone really just not ready yet at his young age to step up and make the spot his own. Arsene’s first priority then, must be a new goalkeeper. Let’s shortlist.
1. Guillermo Ochoa – Some will say he is too unproven to make the step up from Mexican football to the Premier League, but he does not just play admirably for his club side, he also makes fantastic saves on the international level. At the young age of 24, he could be a long-term solution to Arsenal’s goalkeeping dilemma.
2. Bring Back Wojciech Sczcesny – Currently on loan at Brentford, the youngster has been wowing fans all season long with masterclass performances between the posts. Some have even gone as far as labelling him the next Iker! Although only 19, the boy certainly is a free solution to a most likely quite costly problem.
3. Manuel Neuer/Rene Adler – Who have these two not been linked to? I’ve lumped them together because they’d both be so expensive and so unlikely, considering the other teams that would be making offers for them. If Arsenal could get one, it’d be a steal, because they’re both magnificent, and young enough to be around for 10 or so years. Unlikely considering their suitors, but hopeful!
Arsenal’s lack of cover for Alex Song has prove very costly, because Denilson and Diaby do not seem able to play his role for their team. With Song’s ability to slot into the back four, it’s possible that two players might be needed in this position. Players to consider…
1. Blaise Matuidi – Almost an Alex Song replica, Matuidi would provide sound defensive cover in the midfield and probably wouldn’t come too expensively. Has a good eye for a pass, and wins the ball in midfield admirably.
2. Lee Cattermole – Captain of the England U-21 side, Cattermole’s work-rate and determination would provide a solid base to Arsenal’s midfield that would allow Arsenal’s more creative players to roam without having to worry less about tracking back. He’s English, he’s hard, and he’s young. Worth a shout.
3. Craig Eastmond – Has made the step up from Arsenal’s youth system and into Wenger’s first team plans this season. Although still quite raw, his determination and work-rate have been admirable. I still believe Arsenal should go for someone a little more established, but Wenger wouldn’t be playing him at all if he didn’t believe he had talent enough to come through.
With a fit Robin van Persie and the arrival of Marouane Chamakh, does Wenger revert to a 4-4-2 that would accommodate both strikers? Or does he play van Persie wide-right which would allow him to cut in and shoot on his favoured left foot? Draw up your hypothetical Arsenal XI’s or suggest your own transfer targets below!

Arsenal FC: Through The Looking Glass

Arsenal FC: Through The Looking Glass - World Soccer Talk

<a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=arsene wenger&amp;iid=8559851" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/5/8/b/7/Football__Wigan_da0d.jpg?adImageId=12566386&amp;imageId=8559851" border="0" alt="Football - Wigan Athletic v Arsenal Barclays Premier League" width="500" height="321"></figure></div></a>
Incredulous. This is the emotion Arsene Wenger must be feeling after seeing his team go from being two goals up to a Wigan side battling for survival at the bottom of the Premier League, to losing the game three goals to two. I don’t believe that Wigan pulled off this comeback because they are the stronger side, because they aren’t. I don’t believe Wigan was able to upset the odds today because of their manager Roberto Martinez, and I don’t believe Wigan’s win had anything to do with a lucky break. I believe Arsenal’s loss can be saddled on the shoulders of Arsenal’s own deficiencies, rather than the positive attributes of the Wigan team who beat them.
First, it must be said, kudos to Wigan for being able to pull that off. They kept determined and focused even though to anyone else that game was out of their reach after Silvestre hit the back of the net after some poor marking from a corner kick. Congratulations to Roberto Martinez, for almost certainly keeping Wigan afloat this term. And good on Victor Moses, who was an inspiring substitution.
Now, onto Arsenal. After their midweek loss to Tottenham, it might have been expected that some feeling of disappointment and frustration would be felt by the Arsenal squad, because that loss to their rivals looked to almost certainly extinguish their title challenge for this season, and keep their trophy-less run going. But for them not to want to bounce back, for their fans, and for their own pride, shows a real issue of poor leadership within the squad. The only player in the Tottenham game who seemed to really want it, who seemed more than any other Arsenal player on the pitch to really want to win, was the veteran Sol Campbell. Who, on his performance at the Lane, will probably earn himself another year at the club. It’s been seen before from Arsenal that they have lacked a real leader since the departure of Patrick Vieira. It was most obvious when Gallas, now ex-captain, broke down a couple of seasons back at Birmingham, and then spoke to the press about a disruptive character in the dressing room. For that, he was stripped of the armband, and it was handed to the young, but exceptionally talented, Cesc Fabregas.
When one looks back on Arsenal captains and Arsenal players of past generations, we see real fighters, real hard men who were always willing to go the extra mile for their team. Arsenal’s squad was full of players like this. There was Tony Adams, who was also given the armband at a young age, but he had a never-say-never attitude and a real fighting spirit. The players who surrounded him were similar. Martin Keown, Emmanuel Petit, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, and not to mention Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn. These players really played for Arsenal, week in, week out. Best exemplified in the unbeaten run they displayed, a 49-game unbeaten run that is a feat that most probably will never be bested. These were players that refused to lose.
But I digress. In today’s lineup, changes were made to maybe freshen the squad up and rotate a few players after poor performances at the Lane. Not to mention, obviously, the injury crisis, that has claimed Thomas Vermaelen, William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas, Andrey Arshavin, Alex Song, and so on. But what was really missing was the will to succeed. Even with some of those players, Arsenal showed complacency quite like this at West Ham this season, and at Sunderland where they lost a goal to nil. There are too few players in the Arsenal squad who would fight to the end for their club. It seems strange, since most of Arsenal’s squad have come through the ranks there; players like Nicklas Bendtner, Abou Diaby, Gael Clichy, Theo Walcott, and so on. None of them showed the attitude that was needed to hold that game, or to kill it off. Complacency crept in and a hard-working Wigan side were able to triumph over an Arsenal team that should not be allowing things like this to happen.
Arsene Wenger always comes out after victories in the press and speaks about Arsenal’s attitude, Arsenal’s determination, and Arsenal’s spirit. After coming back from two goals down against Barcelona, one could understand where he was coming from. But as soon as there are a few key players missing, most notably Alex Song, who has improved leaps and bounds, and Cesc Fabregas, the cover for those two players is completely inadequate. While players like Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky may have all the tricks and pace and technique to beat their man and score goals, they lack the mental attributes of players like Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas, not to mention Robin van Persie, who always performs admirably. It’s the lack of players like those that broke Arsenal today. And it’s a shame, because with all the talent they have, with all the potential they show every year, they never quite get there. Leadership must be a trait spread throughout the squad, and maybe the squad itself must be changed before Arsenal can reach silverware. There are too many players who look like they just don’t deserve their wages. A goalkeeper, a center-half, a midfielder or two, and a striker. All places where Arsenal need reinforcement. That’s every position on the pitch. That’s a bad sign. Arsene Wenger must go for experience, because while it is admirable that he brings players through, players more recently like Craig Eastmond and Fran Merida, these, and quite a few others, aren’t players who are mentally capable – though very likely technically capable – of taking a competition by force and running it to the finish line.
Congratulations to Wigan, but Arsenal have to look at themselves and return the faith Arsene Wenger has invested in them, or changes must be made.

Shame On You, Arsenal

Shame On You, Arsenal - World Soccer Talk

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On Wednesday night, the North London derby wowed English football fans across the globe. Danny Rose’s wonder-goal opener, along with Gareth Bale’s clincher just after half-time, and Gomes’ world-class saves from shots by the returning Robin van Persie won the game for Tottenham to break a run of 11 years without a win in the league against their North London rivals, Arsenal.
Danny Rose celebrates his opener against Arsenal
It wasn’t just on the pitch where this rivalry really heated up. White Hart Lane simply shook from the noise created by the Tottenham fans chanting their team to a memorable win. After the game, the crowd rang out with “When the Spurs come Marching In,” but it has to be said, though, that most of the Spurs fans’ were quite occupied booing either the returning Sol Campbell, which they are entitled to do, after he joined Arsenal from Tottenham in 2001,&nbsp; or Arsene Wenger, who they rather slanderously&nbsp; pointed at and chanted, “Sit down you pedophile.” The mob effect created at a rival game like this one can make even the mild-mannered businessman a wild, screaming hooligan for 90 plus extra time minutes. The amount of police work that had to be done before and after the game suggests this mob effect does take a considerable amount of time to wear off, though.
The policing of the game and of the areas around North London on the night was nothing less than professional, with even helicopters buzzing through the sky in case of any unwanted violent activity. Which, unfortunately, there was quite a lot of.&nbsp; According to the Islington Gazette, an Arsenal fan was stabbed to death outside the pub he was watching the game in.&nbsp; While there is no evidence that this is a football-related murder, the fact that the 20-year-old victim was killed just after the game ended outside the pub he was watching it in does leave one to draw certain conclusions.
But how does this year’s latest North London derby, where we saw a wicked goal from Premier League debutant Danny Rose, and fans who truly do seem to hate each other, stack up against the Manchester derby?
While the game was quite dull until the three minutes of stoppage time, it certainly did take on a new light when the full-time whistle began to creep into the back of players’ minds. Sir Alex’s decision to start old boys Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs seemed to pay off, because no one knows more than those three do when it comes to Manchester derby’s and the importance placed on them both by the fans and by their manager, who always makes it a priority to win them at all costs. Having those three cool heads in there when Manchester United needed to get the win to keep their title hopes alive was vital for them, and Paul Scholes’ last-gasp goal clinched the win for United a few seconds before full-time, and a few days after he signed a new one-year extension at the club.
Paul Scholes celebrates his winner against City
While Manchester City hosted the game, it wasn’t noticeable except for all the blue shirts, because they certainly didn’t seem quite inclined to chant their team over the finish line. It seems strange that the fans didn’t seem as excited about the prospect of beating their far more successful rivals this time around, because now certainly City have the team to do it. In seasons past, when City languished in mid-table, these games put their fans over the edge. Now that they have the means to achieve as much as their neighbours, the fans have taken a less-than-derby-like approach to what was an important game for both teams. City’s push for fourth is now heavily dented after this loss, and only after Paul Scholes’ winner did it seem to sink in to the City fans how much that game really did matter to them. City still have to go to Arsenal, then they must host Aston Villa and Tottenham, and on the last day of the season they go to West Ham. Not an easy fixture list at all with four games remaining and fourth place on the line. A little more desire from City was certainly what they needed, something they should have taken from Tottenham’s performance against Arsenal.
Tottenham sit in fifth, one point behind City with a game in hand.&nbsp; Tottenham’s derby triumph and City’s failure to take advantage of a lacklustre Manchester United may cost them fourth place and a chance to qualify for the Champions League by the time the season is up.

One Rivalry to Another: London versus Manchester

One Rivalry to Another: London versus Manchester - World Soccer Talk

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Chris Mcquade

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One Rivalry to Another: London versus Manchester